By Sarah LozanovaDespite serving a valuable purpose to us all, tech companies have been criticized for years for their exorbitant energy consumption. Data centers are the backbone of the internet and keeping all that information just a click away requires a lot of electricity.

A transition to renewable sources is underway, which cloud users can encourage by choosing their online service providers that source clean energy.

The IT sector isn’t keeping up with its rapid growth,” says Gary Cook, the senior corporate campaigner on the Climate & Energy for Greenpeace. “More companies are making renewable energy commitments but energy demand growth by the industry is outstripping their renewable energy growth. This is an urgent issue to address the use of fossil fuels given the climate crisis.”

​Since 2009, Greenpeace has been putting pressure on some of the more polluting tech companies while praising greener ones. When examining the energy footprint of tech companies, some clearly lead the way in the corporate use of renewable energy deployment, energy transparency, advocacy, and energy efficiency innovations. Read More...

Across the globe, corporations are helping to fuel the clean energy movement and are using solar energy to power their operations, providing consumers a choice to support solar when shopping.

Large U.S. corporations installed 326 megawatts of solar panels in 2017, and now more than 4,000 U.S. companies have installed solar energy systems, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Corporate investment in renewable energy is boosting solar energy deployment as companies work towards sustainability goals and cut operating expenses.

As the cost of solar energy falls, solar has become a cost-effective source of new power generation. Many of the solar-powered corporations consist of retailers and IT companies. Let’s examine some of the retailers that are leading the way in solar energy installations.

​1. Target​With more than 200 megawatts of total solar energy capacity or enough electricity to power 33,000 homes, Target is the leading retailer for solar energy capacity, and it installed a whopping 40 megawatts of capacity last year. With over 1,800 stores total, Target has a goal to have solar panels on 500 stores and distribution centers by 2020, and it is well on its way with 422 solar systems. In addition, Target has solar systems with battery storage at six locations in Hawaii.

​U.S. electric utility purchases of solar energy soared in the first half of 2018, despite the Trump administration’s tariff on imported solar panels. In fact, 8.5 gigawatts (GW) of utility solar projects were procured in the first half of 2018, according to a report by report by Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, enough solar electricity to power approximately 1.4 million homes. It is good news for the solar energy industry.

Why the Utility Solar Market Is SignificantThe market for utility-grade solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is important to follow because utility solar installations comprise over 50 percent of the total solar energy market and are instrumental in large-scale solar energy deployment. What distinguishes utility solar installations is that the power is sold to wholesale utility buyers and not retail consumers as with residential solar installation.

​Although you may dream of buying a hybrid or an electric vehicle, many of us have to drive the cars we already have, at least for the time being. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do with driving habits and car maintenance to boost fuel economy and improve energy efficiency. Whether you want to save money or cut your carbon footprint (or ideally both!), check out these tips and learn to save green at the pump.

1. Use Your Brakes SparinglyYes, they are a great invention, and safe driving practices involve using your brakes. Although there is certainly a time and place for applying the brakes, they can also be overused. Let the car coast before approaching stop signs, stoplights and congested areas where you will likely need to slow down. Your gas tank loves it when you lay off both the accelerator and the brake, as it saves a lot of gas. Laying off the brakes saves gasoline because most cars merely waste energy when the brakes are applied. Some cars, such as the Toyota Prius, have regenerative braking systems that capture some of the kinetic energy and transfer it to the battery, but such systems aren’t completely efficient.

2. Roll Up the Windows at High SpeedsRolling down the windows makes your car less aerodynamic, causing it to consume more fuel. This is true at all speeds, but even more so at high speeds. The exact numbers vary by the car, but the air conditioning is usually more efficient than rolling down the windows at speeds above 60 miles per hour. At lower speeds, it saves energy to roll down the windows and turn off the air conditioner, according to Popular Mechanics.

With nearly 4,900 properties spanning 104 countries and territories, Hilton is one of the largest and fastest-growing hospitality companies in the world. The company has also launched numerous corporate responsibility initiatives that win trust and consumer confidence – benefiting employees, the environment and corporate earnings in the process. The hotelier demonstrates that sustainability improvements can result in both environmental victories and cost savings.

“Hilton has saved an estimated $751 million from water, waste, and energy-efficiency initiatives which have also resulted in a reduction of our carbon emissions by 23 percent in seven years,” said Judy Pines, director of sustainability and responsible sourcing at Hilton. “We use a corporate responsibility performance management platform called LightStay to measure environmental and operational performance metrics.”

The platform tracks ongoing progress, shares best practices among hotels, and highlights areas where properties can reduce their environmental impact through water-, waste- and energy-reduction projects. Hilton cut carbon emissions by 23 percent and decreased waste output by 29 percent in seven years. In 2016, the LightStay platform was recognized as Environment Leader’s 2016 Product of the Year.

As the solar energy industry grows, there is a looming waste management issue. What will happen to the millions and millions of solar panels that are dotting rooftops across the globe at the end of their useful lives?

Few Solar Panel Recycling Options Exist NowAt the moment, most countries do not have a robust recycling infrastructure in place for solar panels. Most of the solar panels that are disposed of each year are damaged or defective. Because solar is a relatively young industry, few systems are being decommissioned each year.

The design life of a solar panel is roughly 20 to 30 years, and most solar panel manufacturers provide a performance guarantee to protect solar system owners. Solar panels become less efficient over time, and performance guarantees protects consumers if the energy production declines prematurely. The guarantee offers solar homeowners peace of mind that the solar panels will generate a certain amount of power, barring unexpectedly cloudy weather. Many manufacturers guarantee 90 percent production after 10 years and 85 percent after 25 years.

Most of the systems installed in the 1980s are still churning out an acceptable amount of power, so solar panel recycling hasn’t become very widespread. The day will come, however, when a robust recycling infrastructure will be needed because more solar systems will be decommissioned.

There are now more than 1 million solar systems installed in the United States, according to a recent report by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association. Q3 2016 was record-shattering by all accounts, and the solar industry is poised to almost double year after year. Despite widespread growth, there are misunderstandings and misconceptions that cost solar shoppers money. Keeping these common mistakes with solar panels for home use in mind can reduce the cost of going solar and your expenses over time.

Mistake #1: Not Shopping Around to Get Competitive Solar BidsAlthough the cost of installing a solar system has fallen dramatically, the soft costs still constitute a lot of the total system cost. These costs vary widely by the solar installer, so it’s a good idea to shop around. Like any other home improvement project, there can be a big difference in the cost of installing a solar system with different installers. UnderstandSolar is a great free service to link you to top-rated solar installers for solar estimates.

Every year, Americans dispose of billions of plastic bottles each year. On the surface, plastic bottle recycling in the United States looks like an excellent way to reduce waste and prevent the extraction of virgin materials. Curbside recycling programs span the United States and have become a staple in the waste management. In fact, plastic bottle recycling rates by weight have increased for the last 25 years consecutively. In 2014, the total weight of plastics collected for recycling grew by 3.3 percent or 97 million pounds. This seems like good news for the environment and our local cities and towns, but is it?

Although recycling programs are widespread, a mere 23 percent of disposable water bottles are actually recycled. While the weight of recycled plastic has grown for 25 years, so has the population in the United States. Here are three popular myths about recycling plastic bottles, along with an explanation of the real deal.

​When fall sets in, our heating systems kick into high gear to keep our houses warm. As it gets colder, you want to heat your home in the most efficient way possible, but it can be tough to know the best strategy to use when facts and myths all blend together. Here, we uncover some truths and bust falsehoods about energy saving so that you can stay warm and cozy the efficient way.

Myth: Installing new energy-efficient windows saves 30 to 40 percent on heating and cooling bills.Although this can be true in some extreme circumstances in which super-leaky single-pane windows are replaced, most homeowners save a mere 10 to 20 percent at best. If you’re concerned about the performance of your windows, there are other steps you can take.

Fact: There are lots of easy ways to prevent heat loss through windows and warm your home with the sun. Curtains can reduce heat loss in a room by 10 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. To save energy, close all your curtains at night. During the day, close curtains in rooms that don’t receive direct sunlight, especially if the daylight isn’t needed. In the summer months, it’s a good idea to close the curtains in rooms receiving direct sunlight to keep your home from warming up.

By Sarah Lozanova​Last week, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors spoke before a crowd at the set of the TV show Desperate Housewives. “The interesting thing is that the houses you see around you are all solar houses,” said Musk. “Did you notice?” This news shocked the audience, as there wasn’t a solar panel in sight. Instead, the surrounding solar cells were camouflaged in glass roof tiles with styles like Tuscan and slate.

This is part of Musk’s vision to revolutionize clean energy generation. He unveiled plans by Tesla to produce solar roof tiles in a variety of colors and textures. His goal is to make solar roofs that look better than the typical roof, have an installed cost that is lower than a new roof plus the cost of electricity, last longer, and provide better insulation.

If he can pull this off, rooftops as we know them will not be the same. Could this be the leap necessary to make solar more appealing and widespread?